While most people associate Mardi Gras with New Orleans, you can throw your own Fat Tuesday fest wherever you live. Let the good times roll with authentic New Orleansstyle

food to make your party as genuine as the Big Easy

celebration. Mardi Gras is actually part of a larger celebration, Carnival, that begins 12 days after Christmas (January 6) and ends Fat Tuesday, 46 days before Easter, so the celebration can extend beyond just one day.

“While the French Quarter gets most of the attention for Mardi Gras merriment, many New Orleans families gather in their homes to celebrate with a big meal,” said John Besh, Louisiana native and nationally acclaimed chef. “For us, Mardi Gras is about three things: food, fun and family. If you have these key ingredients, any Mardi Gras celebration will be a success.”

This Mardi Gras, celebrate New Orleans-style by jazzing up your menu with popular and traditional dishes that will feed a crowd. Of course, don’t forget to wrap up the party with a King Cake — whoever finds the toy baked inside is king or queen of next year’s celebration!

No matter where you live, celebrate Mardi Gras with authentic New Orleans style flavor and your guests will come dancing in.

For more New Orleans-style recipes, visit www.zatarains.com.
Andouille Dirty Rice
Courtesy of Executive Chef John Besh, Restaurant Proprietor,
New Orleans
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Makes 6 servings
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 cup finely minced onion
1 cup andouille sausage,
removed from casing and
chopped in food processor
1 stalk celery, finely minced
1/4 cup finely minced bell
pepper
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 8-ounce box Zatarain’s
Dirty Rice Mix
1/2 pound chicken livers or
duck livers, finely minced
(optional)
1. Make dark roux by combining cook ing oil and flour in

heavy bottomed 6 to 8-quart saucepot, over low flame.

Stir constantly using wooden spoon. 2. When roux is finished, stir in onion and allow to brown,

leaving flame on low. Next, add andouille, celery, bell

peppers and garlic. Add dirty rice mix and stir for five

minutes to toast rice. 3. Stir in broth, allow mixture to come to a boil, cover

with lid and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes. 4. Before serving, season with minced green onion and

parsley.
The Big Easy Jambalaya
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Makes 8 (1-cup) servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 bell peppers (preferably
one yellow and one green),
diced
1 can (14.5 ounces) fire roasted
diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup water
1 package (8 ounces)
Zatarain’s Reduced Sodium
Jambalaya Mix
1 package (12 ounces) fully
cooked smoked andouille
sausage, sliced
1 pound peeled and deveined
uncooked large shrimp,
thawed if frozen
1/4 cup chopped parsley
(optional)
1. Heat oil in large deep skillet or

5-quart Dutch oven on medium heat. Add

onion and bell peppers; cook and stir 7

minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. 2. Stir in tomatoes, water and Jamba laya

Mix. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to

medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes.

3. Stir in shrimp and sausage. Cover and

cook 10 minutes longer or just until shrimp turn pink and rice and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

King Cake — Did Ya Know?

• A King Cake is a traditional dessert decorated

with sugar sprinkles in the customary Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold, which

represent justice (purple), faith (green) and

power (gold).

• The cake is baked with a tiny trinket, usually a

plastic baby, inside. The person who finds the baby in their piece is con sidered the king or queen of the party and hosts next year’s Mardi Gras festivities.